Mechanically timed electrically operated switch means



p 1953 H. w. FOSTER ET AL MECHANICALLY TIMEID ELECTRICALLY OPERATEDSWITCH MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1951 INVENTORS HENRY W.FOSTER BY ROBERT L. HALPERN Sept. 22, 1953 H. w. FOSTER ET AL 2,653,200

MECHANICALLY TIMED ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SWITCH MEANS Filed Feb. 8, 19512 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HENRY W. FOSTER B ROBERT L. HALPERN PatentedSept. 22, 1953 OPERAT ED SWITCHMEANS aiiinieafianwtmrvs, 195i; swarm.2101078 time the interva s; fletween' the opemiow qr" cal bonnectidnsand compenents for the pl uralitfi 45' ing contacts 2|]- and 2I beingdesignated 1, 2, 3

and 4 in the drawings.

The mechanical timer 22, which is a feature of the invention, includeswhat we will term a driving or actuating lever 23 supported on a hingepin 24. The lever 23 is operated or rotated in one direction by asolenoid 25. While we have shown the armature 26 of the solenoiddirectly pivotally connected with an end of the lever 23, it will beapparent that the lever and solenoid may be associated in other manners.one terminal grounded at 21 and a flexible lead 28 extends from theother terminal of the solenoid to one of a pair of contacts 30. Saidcontact 36 is carried by the actuating lever 23 and the other contact 30is stationarily mounted. A lead 3I extends from the stationary contact3|] to the contactor I1 of the switch I2 and with the switch in itsinitial or unactuated position the contactor I1 is in engagement withthe No. 1 contact 20. An energizing lead 32 extends from a suitablepower source 33 to this No. 1 contact and a pair of switches, which weshall term the arming switch 33 and the trigger switch 34 respectively,are interposed in the energizing lead 32. It will be seen that with thelever 23 in its static position of Figure 1 closing of both switches 33and 34 will result in energization of the solenoid and thus causerotation or movement of the actuating lever 23. As viewed in thedrawings, the solenoid 25 rotates the lever 23 in the clockwisedirection. The end of the lever 23 has a driving pawl 35 for cooperatingwith the teeth I5 to turn the ratchet shaft I3 when the lever 23 ismoved or rotated in the counter-clockwise direction. A stationary stop36 is provided to limit rotation of the lever 23 in the clockwisedirection. Figure 2 shows the actuating lever 23 in engagement with thestop 36 where its clockwise rotation has been arrested.

The mechanical timer 22 further includes what we will term a timinglever 31 pivoted or mounted on the hinge pin 34 for independentmovement. Each arm of the lever 31 carries a weight 38, it beingpreferred that the lengths of the lever arms be equal and that theweights 38 be of the same mass and equi-distant from the axis ofrotation of the lever. While the timing lever 31 is supported formovement independent of the actuating lever 23, it is provided with alug 40 engageable with the lower edge of the actuating lever 23 at theright side of the shaft 24 as viewed in the drawings. The lug 4|] servesto transmit rotation from the actuating lever 23 to the timing lever 31when the actuating lever is rotated in the clockwise direction by thesolenoid 25 and serves to transmit rotation from the timing lever 31 tothe actuating lever 23 to move the latter in the counter-clockwisedirection and thus advance the wheel I4 and shaft I3, as will be morefully described. In practice, the levers 23 and 31 may be supported onthe pin 24 in adjacent relation and the lug 40 may project laterally oraxially from a branch 4| of the lever 31 to be engageable with the loweredge of the actuating lever 23.

Spring means is associated with the timing lever 31 to receive andtemporarily store the kinetic energy of the lever 31 as it moves in thecounter-clockwise direction. This spring means may be in the form of asimple tension spring 42, having one end connected to an arm of thelever 31 and having its other end anchored to a stationary part 43. Thespring 42 is arranged to be elongated or put under tension, or increasedtension, when the lever 31 is rotated in the clockwise directionfrom itsnormal or static position The solenoid 25 has of Figure 1. The anchoredend of the spring 42 may be adjustably connected with the stationarypart 38 so that timing of the cycle of operation of the timer 22 may bemodified or adjusted, as will be more fully described. In the simpleconstruction illustrated, a nut 44 is threaded on an end portion of thespring 42 and cooperates with or reacts against the part 43 to providefor this adjustment.

When the switches 33 and 34 are both closed to initiate operation of thedevice by the first or initial energization of the solenoid 25, theactuating lever 23 is rotated in the clockwise direction, as abovedescribed, and the lug 46 transmits this rotation to the timing lever31. The clockwise motion of the actuating lever 23 is limited orarrested by the engagement of the lever with the stationary stop 36 butthe timing lever 31, being unrestrained except for the spring 42,continues to rotate in the clockwise direction as illustrated in Figure2 until all of the kinetic energy of the lever 31 and its weights 3B isstored in the spring 42. The lever 31 is then accelerated or rotated inthe counter-clockwise direction by the force of the spring 42 and thelug 40 is again brought into engagement with the actuating lever 23 sothat the latter is caused to move in the counter-clockwise directiontogether with the lever 31. Upon such motion or counter-clockwiserotation of the actuating lever 23, the pawl 35 cooperates with a toothI 5 to rotate or advance the ratchet shaft I3 and the switch shaft I6one step, this action being illustrated in Figure 3. The return orcounter-clockwise rotation of the actuating lever 23 also recloses thecontacts 3|] to re-energize the solenoid 25, assuming the solenoidcircuit to be otherwise complete, and the cycle of operation isrepeated.

Referring again to the switch I2, it will be seen that a branch 44 ofthe power lead 32 extends to and connects with the Nos. 2, 3 and 4contacts 26 and is arranged in bypassing relation to the switches 33 and34. Thus the first or initial operation of the timer I2 which moves thecontactor I1 into engagement with the No. 2 contact 20 completes thecircuit to the solenoid 25 to re-energize the same, the circuit beingcompleted through the lead 44, contact 20, contactor I1 and lead 3| tothe solenoid. This second energization of the solenoid 25 actuates thetimer 22 for the second cycle which is identical with the cycledescribed above and which advances the contactor I1 to the No. 3 contact20. The engagement of the contactor I1 with the No. 3 contact 20 againre-energizes the solenoid 25 and the timer 22 is re-cycled. In thismanner the timer 22 repeats its operation or timing cycle until thecontactor I1 is returned to the No. 1 contact 20.

As above described, the switch I2 may be. constructed to control as manyindividual or related circuits as required in any given installation. Inthe simple diagrammatically illustrated form of the invention the switchI2 for four contacts 2I or banks of contacts 2I and leads 46 extend fromthese contacts to the ignitors II of the related rockets III. Therockets II] may be individual rockets or the leads 46 may each extend topluralities of the rockets I0 so that the rockets may be fired insalvos. The contactor I8 of the switch I2 is energized by a branch 320of the power lead 32 so that the rocket or rockets III connected withthe No. 1 contact 2I are fired upon closing of the switches 33 and 34and the rockets I0 connected withthe Nos. 2, 3 and 4 contacts 2| are 1aeea .oo

successively tired as. the semester w is advanced from one contact. itto. the, other.

F m t e resoins detailed descript on it be seen that. wev have. providedan ex r m ly simple, inexpensive and thoreushlr reliable nt r valometer.The device may be constructe the form of a. small, lig te ht an compactt Th a curate pera ion h ma be designed so as to be substantia l 'dlldfid s. i bytemperature variations. vibr tion, cohst accelorationsL or byits operatin sd dg fi Wdll as the volt-ages. in the circuits b in conrol ed, particularly well adapting the device tor aircraft and the like.flurtht rmorel the d r a ily a p t ime or ont ol dlfieroht bers ofcircuits without maior or substantial alterations.

It is tov be particularly noted that the timer 2 3 utilizes thetransient. response for th timins of the intervals between eachactuation 93 2nd switch l2 rather than utilizing the steady-1 stateresponse of a mechanically vibrat n @YSP t m- The t ming of the ycle. ofoperation is do: termined primarily by the ratio. of the spring n t ntof th pring 42 to the moment of inertia of the weighted timin lev r 31.may be varied or modified to adjust th inte al. between the successiveactuations of the switch I: by presloading the spring 42; instead ofhavi the spring 42 fr e of tension when i the sta ic condition r y chanin the stat c loadin o tension on the spring H to control or alter theduration of the vibratory cycle utilized to time the intervals. It willbe 5.8.8.11 that the circuit through the leads 3,2 and an, the contaotor1.8

and the lead 45 is comm tted 1 .9- 11 the first rocket orrocket salvoimmediately upon closing of the two switches 33 and 34s.. Thereafter,the other rockets I0, or salvos Qf l d lifitfil 16 f lfi lsequentiallyat accurately timed intervals, th intervals between thefiring i dddh li 1G$i rocket or salvo being i entical. 8.45 determine OIt m d y the weight d timin 3'! an s rints 42 functioning as abovedescribed. Thus the cycles after energization have exactly the same timeintervals as the succeedin c cles, the lovice being transient accurate.7

Having described only a, typical form of the invention we do not wish tobe. limited to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to re,serve to ourselves any variations or modifications that may appear tothose skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. In combination, a multi-position switch having a contactor movablefrom position to position, a rotatable shaft for moving the contactorand carrying ratchet teeth, a first pivoted lever, electricallyenergized means for rotating the lever in one direction, means iorpositively arresting rotation of the lever in said direction, a pivotedtiming lever, a lost motion connection between said levers transmittingmotion from the first lever to the timing lever during rotation of thefirst lever in said direction and adapted to transmit motion from thetiming lever to said first lever upon rotation of the timing lever inthe opposite direction, the levers being indep n n y plvotablo so thatthe t le er 18 free to continue to rotate in said direction after themotion of the first lever has been arrested by the second named means,spring means associated with the timing lever for storing the kineticenergy of said timing lever as the same rotates in said direction andoperable to apply said a ratchet heel! pivoted ov r s a pawl f rcooperati wi h d ra chet W l.

nerg to t e timin overto rotate. he s e is aid; op os te d-iroot o and apawl so. ev r cooper tin wit 'said oth o ro te said shaft h h first le e3o t d sa or: pos ts dir otion by said shores; m ted iron he s rin m ns2- A. d ice oi he or d scrib d eotnrris ins a m irposith ha in a s t, rac t m ans. tor ro a ih th shait in r 5:

to te the that; upon r a o the lov r on di e t on sized b the swi h P vt ns the fir t lover n the oth r diroc i stop m a t o it y arresting mon-sa t the i t lo r i said oth r d e ion on i d pende tly pivo tim n loer a comedian tor: transmi t ng mo on from h fi t. ove to the t m ng o eup n r tati n of he rst. leversa d: her d r t n and or tra sm m ion r mth tim o er t tho fi s N Q-- tion of he tim ngo er in id one. d es on.said nn ctio ng ons ru ted nd arran ed t a w h imins o er to n inue trotate in aid other i otion er he movemen oi h fi st v rhas be n a resed b id stole m ans and spring mean or s or ng the k netic ne gy o he tiing ver While ro at n i said other direction d for t ou ap lyin saidenergy to the i i l v to move the. s me in. said one direction so thatsaid connection transmits move= mont therefrom to a d first l e and tsawl to rotate said shaft.

A device of e h acter des ri od 3 k prising mult si ion switch ha in aheit. rat means f r ota n the Sha includ n a ratchet wheel, and a firstpivoted lever having a pa for per t n th said ratch t wh el to rotatethe ha u o ro ation i the er on d tion. m an en r ized by the witc torpivoting the first lever in the other direction, Stop means for lim tinotal mov men of tho fir t lover in sa d the ir ction! indep n ontlr v edti lover, Wei hts on the i in lo e a con c on o tran m ttin moti n i thofirs l ve to he timi lo er upon ota oi the fir lev r in said other diect on nd r t n m ti motion f om the tim le er to the fi s o e protation o th to ne l ver n said one direction, said connection being-QQQ-v u d n arr n e o allow t e to, .s ever to ont nu t r a e i sa dther d roe on af er h o m o th fir ve has bee arre ed b said stop m an ad spr n mea for s o as th kinetic ener f t timi l ve while re: tat s n ad he ooti n d o then ar p i g aid ene to he t ming; lo e to no o the sae in sa d one direc i n o at said 99. mot on. t an mi s mo emen tho oiron t said fir lo er and i s pa l to rotate sai s ort:

A d ce o the oh oote d scri ed comprise ins. a m llt o t on s t h havina sha t! atch moa o r ta in th shait inc din r c e ee and o fi st pi oed lo e hav n pa r o t n w sa d ra che wh to rotate the ha t u on t on ot e lo or in a first dire t on, ner ised b th switch f pivot n the firstlever in the opposite direc ion, stop means for arresting pivotalmovement of the first lever in said opposite direction, an inde:pendently pivoted timing lover, a connection for transmitting motionfrom the first lever to the timing lever upon rotation of the firstlever in said opposite direction and for transmitting motion from thetiming lever to the first lever upon rotation of the timing lever insaid first direction, said connection being a lost motion connection toallow the timing lever to continue to move in said opposite directionafter the stop means has arrested movement of the first lever, springmeans for storing the kinetic energy of the timing lever while rotatingin said opposite direction and for then restoring said energy to thetiming lever to move the same in said first direction so that saidconnection transmits movement from the timing lever to said first leverand its pawl to rotate said shaft, and means for varying the springconstant of the spring means to regulate the interval betweenenergization of the first named means and rotation of the shaft.

5. A device of the character described comprising a multi-positionswitch having a shaft, ratchet means for rotating the shaft including :aratchet wheel, and a first pivoted lever having :a pawl for cooperatingwith said ratchet wheel to rotate the shaft upon rotation of the leverin :a first direction, contact and solenoid means energized by theswitch for pivoting the first lever in the other direction, stop meansfor limiting movement of the first lever in said other direction, anindependently pivoted timing lever, a connection for transmitting motionfrom the first lever to the timing lever upon rotation of the firstlever in said other direction and for transmitting motion from thetiming lever to the first lever upon rotation of the timing lever insaid first direction, said connection being of the lost motion type toallow the timing lever to continue to rotate in said other directionafter the movement of said first lever has been stopped by the P stopmeans, and spring means for storing the kinetic energy of the timinglever while rotating in said other direction and for then applying saidenergy to the timing lever to move the same in said first direction sothat said connection operated to transmit movement to said first leverand its pawl to rotate said shaft.

6. A device of the character described comprising a multi-positionswitch having a shaft, ratchet means for rotating the shaft including aratchet wheel, and a first pivoted lever having a pawl for cooperatingwith said ratchet wheel to rotate the shaft upon rotation of the leverin a first direction, means energized by the switch for pivoting thefirst lever in the other direction, stop means for limiting rotation ofthe first lever in said other direction, an independently pivotedweighted timing lever, a lug on the timing lever engaged by the firstlever to transmit rotation therefrom to the timing lever upon rotationof the first lever in said other direction, the weighted levercontinuing to rotate after the first lever is arrested by the stop meansand the lu being operable to transmit rotation from the timing lever tothe first lever upon rotation of the timing lever in said firstdirection, and a spring for storing the kinetic energy of the timinglever during rotation of the same in said other direction and operableto thereafter restore said energy to the timing lever to rotate thetiming lever in said direction to actuate the switch shaft.

7. Means for sequentially energizing a plurality of electricallyoperated devices having energizing circuits, said means comprising firststationary contacts, a first movable contactor for successivelycooperating with said first contacts, a series of second stationarycontacts, a second movable contactor for successively cooperating withsaid second contacts, and a shaft for operating said contactors,solenoid means energized by said second contacts, and a transientaccurate mechanical timer actuated by the solenoid means forsuccessively rotating said shaft including a ratchet wheel on the shaft,a ratchet lever for cooperating with the wheel and actuated in a firstdirection by the solenoid means, stop means for positively limitingmovement of the ratchet lever in said first direction, a weightedindependently pivoted timing lever, spring means for storing the kineticenergy of the timing lever when rotated in said first direction andoperable thereafter apply such stored energy to the timing lever torotate the timing lever in said other direction, and a lost motionconnection for transmitting movement from the ratchet lever to thetiming lever when the ratchet lever is moved in said first direction,allowing the timing lever to continue to move in said first directionafter the stop means has stopped the ratchet lever and thereafteroperable to transmit movement from the timing lever to the ratchet leverwhen the timing lever is moved in said other direction by the springmeans to thereby actuate said shaft.

8. Means for sequentially energizing a plurality of electricallyoperated devices having energizing circuits, said means comprising firststationary contacts, a first movable contactor for successivelycooperating with the first stationary contacts, a series of secondcontacts, a second movable contactor for successively cooperating withsaid second contacts, and a shaft for operating said contactors,solenoid means energized by said second contacts, and a transientaccurate mechanical timer actuated by the solenoid means forsuccessively rotating said shaft including a ratchet wheel on the shaft,a ratchet lever for cooperating with the wheel and actuated in a firstdirection by the solenoid means, a weighted independently pivoted timinglever actuated in said first direction by the ratchet lever and operablewhen rotated in the other direction to rotate the ratchet lever toadvance said shaft, spring means for storing the kinetic energy of thetiming lever when rotated in said first direction and operablethereafter to rotate the timing lever in said other direction to actuatethe shaft, and means for adjusting the spring constant of the springmeans to vary the intervals between energization of the solenoid meansand actuation of the shaft.

HENRY W. FOSTER. ROBERT L. HALPERN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberFOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Apr. 2, 1917 Number

